Ok, this is more of a "Rizzoli and Isles" chapter, but there will be more Erin in the next chapter. This one is more of Miranda trying to prove a childhood friend innocent of murder. Enjoy!
As Erin is getting dressed for work, she hears Miranda's phone ringing from the kitchen and hears Miranda talking on the phone with someone as she walks out. The captain hands the attorney a cup of coffee while still on the phone.
"Ok, I'll be up there soon. Bye." Miranda hangs up the phone and sighs.
"What is it?" Erin asked.
"I need to head to Boston for a case that might be connected to mine. Hey Heat? You want to -"
"I'll start packing!" Heather said then runs to the bedroom and Miranda chuckles with Erin.
"She's on fall break, so perfect."
"You be careful." Erin said inside the airport.
"Erin, it's me." Miranda said.
"Exactly." Miranda develops a bewildered look on her face then kisses her fiancee.
"I love you, and we should be back on Saturday." Miranda said then kisses her again.
"I love you too. Both of you have fun and say hi to Pops for me." Erin said.
"We will." Heather said then she and Miranda head to security.
Jane walks into Maura's home and sees the Medical Examiner sitting on the kitchen island, working on a crossword puzzle, but she also recognizes Heather sitting next to her.
"Heather. What are you doing here?" Jane asked then hugs the seventeen-year-old.
"I'm on fall break from school and wanted to come up. Mom's outside on the phone with her second in command back in New York." Heather said.
"They got in about ten minutes ago." Maura said.
"Turns out that our cases are unconnected." Miranda said as she walks into the kitchen. She detects movement with Jane looks over at the hallway then Miranda looks at Maura with Jane.
"That better be Bass moving." Miranda said.
"Hi, Jack." Jane called out.
"Morning Jane." They hear, and Miranda looks at her ex.
"You and Erin don't engage in sexual activities when the girls are in the house?" Maura asked.
"I SO did not need to hear that." Heather said.
"To answer your question, of course, we have." Miranda said.
"Yeah, I just threw up in my mouth."
"Me too." Jane said.
"FYI, his pants are in the hallway in front of my door. You guys are nasty." Heather said as the man walks into the kitchen.
"Whoa!" Miranda said then looks away as Jane covers Heather's eyes.
"The kimono I bought you, Maura when I was in Japan? Really?" Miranda asked.
"Jack, this is my daughter, Heather, and my ex-girlfriend, Miranda." Maura said.
"Hey." Jack said.
"Mom? Can I go see Pops now?" Heather asked.
"Let's." Miranda said, and the duo head out. Miranda shutters after closing the door with Heather.
"I was not expecting that." Heather said.
"You and me both."
"Hey, Miranda. You want in on a homicide case with us?" Jane asked as she and Maura walk out of the house.
"Sure. Let me drop Heather off with my parents and bleach out my eyeballs then meet you there." Miranda said.
A few hours later, Heather is in Maura's office as she is working on homework. Maura is at her desk, trying to put together the medical file for the case Jane and Miranda are working on.
"Hey, Momma?" Heather asked.
"Hmm?" Maura asked.
"I'm trying to understand the respiratory system, but I'm getting confused."
"Ok, what are you confused on?"
"I know we need to breathe every day and the heart pumps the blood throughout the body, working as a car engine. Other than that? Everything else."
"Let's see if we can address this together." Maura sits next to her and looks at the textbook.
"Oh my. This is absolutely inaccurate." Maura said. Heather looks at the textbook and flips back to the chapter.
"Ok, this is better."
"Because that was the brain function chapter and how we need the respiratory system to keep our brains functioning." Heather said with a chuckle.
"You have grasped all of this. What's really going on?" Maura asked as she places down the textbook and glances at the 17-year-old.
"I just wanted to spend time with you before I go to college."
"Honey, I'm terribly sorry. Tonight, no Jack, no homework, no papers to grade. Just you and me." Maura said.
"Grandma and Grandpa are taking Mom and me out to dinner."
"Afterwards. Ok?" Heather nods and Maura wraps her arms around Heather and kisses her daughter's head.
"Alright, enough with the mushy stuff. You're worse than Mom." Heather said and Maura chuckles.
"So, are you ok with meeting Allie on Thursday?" Maura asked.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"I didn't tell you about Jack and -"
"Momma, it's ok. I didn't really know about Erin until we moved to New York. It's like Mom was trying to keep her college life closed. Plus, you need someone to talk seventh grader." Heather interrupted then smirks.
"And why would you suggest that?"
"Really? My age is closer to a seventh grader than yours."
"Is that another way of saying that I'm not hip with you kids?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying and please don't say that again." Heather said.
Upstairs, Miranda looks at Frost's desk and swallows a lump in her throat. Frankie looks at her then looks at the desk.
"He was excited about the wedding." Frankie said softly.
"I know. He was excited to be my best man." Miranda said softly.
"Jane, I would quit while I'm ahead." Miranda said with a chuckle then looks at the information on the monitors and recognizes someone.
"I know him. The prosecutor in the Plymouth trial." Miranda said.
"You do?" Jane asked.
"Paul Westcourt. Paul, Will and I grew up together. When Will died, Paul was there for me. He was the first person that I told that I was gay. Of course, he was hitting on me at the time." Miranda sighs and rubs her eyes.
"Do you think he could have done it?" Jane asked.
"No. Paul worked hard his entire life to get to where he is today. Besides, I haven't seen him since I graduated high school and went to Columbia." Miranda said.
"Not even after you moved back here to join the force?"
"No."
"But he and Miranda grew up together." Frankie said to Korsak after he and Jane catch up the sergeant on the case.
"Uh oh. What does she think about this?" Korsak asked.
"She knows that he has a crazy wife and knows that Paul wouldn't do this, but she hasn't talked to him since they graduated high school."
"Where is she now?"
"Visiting her grandfather in the hospice center." Jane said.
"I haven't seen you in over twenty years and you're here because of why?" Paul asked.
"Danielle was found dead, and the evidence is pointing to you." Miranda said.
"Oh my god." He said then rubs his face.
"I know I haven't seen you since we graduated high school, but I need to know the truth. Did you kill her the same way the cork bottle killer did?"
"Of course not."
"I'll prove you right. But you listen to me. Got it?" He nods.
"The police are going to be here any minute to talk to you or bring you to the station. I was not here. Ok?" Again, he nods. She hands over her business card to him.
"My cell number is on the back." She said.
"Thanks." He said, and she heads out.
Not even five minutes after Miranda left, Jane, Frankie, and Korsak arrive at the house.
"He's on a bridge, and I know which one." Miranda said then heads out with Jane and Maura after hearing Paul's voice and recognizing the sounds in the background. They arrive on the scene and Miranda motions for the other two women to stay, then walks over to the railing.
"Paul, come on. Don't do this." Miranda said as she stands on the other side of the railing, near him.
"They don't believe me that I didn't kill her. I shouldn't have listened to you." Paul said.
"Well, you better listen to me now. If you jump, I'm going in after you."
"You're getting married and have a child."
"My child is almost an adult and still has my ex-girlfriend. You are a brother to me, and I need you right beside me when I marry Erin. I know who killed her." Paul looks at her.
"Who?" He asked.
"Your wife. She found out about the affair and wanted revenge, so she killed Danielle the same way you tried the case." Miranda said.
"The wife did it?" Maura softly asked Jane.
"If she did, we got motive." Jane said softly.
"Paul, I will prove it. But first, we need to get back over the railing." Miranda said. He grabs her arm, but he slips.
"Hang on!" Miranda said as holds onto Paul's arm as she tries to get him up onto the railing again, but she can't hang on. She feels her hand starting to slip from the railing.
"Hang on Miranda!" Jane yelled, but it was too late. Both Miranda and Paul fall to the water below. Jane and Maura run to the railing and look around, hoping to see them, but they can't because of the darkness.
"Miranda! MIRANDA! MIRANDA!" Maura yelled.